By Amy O’Neill Houck
Photography by Stacy La Mascus
A Mobïus wrap is a unique garment with no inside or outside, and only one side and one edge. What does this mean? Well, if you were to take a finger and trace it along the side of the finished cowl, you’d see that your finger would cover both “sides” of the cowl without ever lifting your finger. The “Mobïus strip” falls under the amazing math category.
This cowl grows quickly out from the center, allowing for fun color play with stripes. The cowl can be worn over the shoulders, pulled up over the head, or even doubled as a neck-warmer. The twist gives it an appealing shape that hugs the body. I learned the concept of the Mobïus as a knitted garment from Mobïus pioneer, Cat Bordhi, and I was pleased to discover the concept translates so nicely to crochet.
Finished Measurement: Cowl Circumference: 36″; Height 8″
Materials
2 skeins worsted weight yarn in complementary colors I used O-Wool classic 100% certified organic Merino, 90m per 50g
Size K 10 1/2 (6.5mm) crochet hook
Yarn needle
Pattern notes: When you change colors, do it in the last stitch of the round below the new color round – work the first half of the stitch in the old color, and finish the stitch in the new color. This cowl can be made to any gauge, and any height or circumference. The starting chain determines the circumference, and the number of rows the height. Adjust either to change the cowl to your specifications.
Technique note: You may want to try creating the Mobïus twist in a much shorter chain before starting the actual project. Make a chain about 20 stitches long, follow the instructions for the twist, then complete the first Mobïus round, making sure to crochet around the entire backside and front side of the chain.
Directions
Using MC, Chain 100
Lay the chain on a flat surface. Run your finger along the chain to make sure the smooth topside of the chain is facing up. Give the chain a half twist. (Over-twisting causes just a twisted chain, and not a Mobïus.)
Join the ends so the backside of the tail end is joined to the topside of the hook end. Check again to see that there is only a half twist in the chain.
Round 1: Work hdc in each chain in the round. (In one Mobïus round you will work stitches on both the top and bottom of the chain.) When you’ve completed the bottom edge of the chain, you’ll be at the end of round one, and you’ll be back where you began.
All following rounds: Work hdc in the back loop only (hdc-bl).
Blue Version: Work 3 rounds of hdc-bl using MC. Switch to CC. Work 3 rounds hdc-bl using CC. Switch back to MC, work 5 rounds of hdc-bl using MC. Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Plum Version: Work 4 rounds of hdc-bl in MC, work 5 rounds of hdc-bl using CC. Fasten off, weave in ends.
That’s it! You now have a cowl with only one side!
If you’d like to learn an invisible way to change colors, here’s a video I made that shows you how.
About the Author:
Amy O’Neill Houck lives in Juneau, Alaska, where she’s happily able to wear wool year-round. She crochets, knits, and blogs at The Hook and I.
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